Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
TRANCE, n.1, v. Also trans(e).
I. n. 1. (1) A narrow outside passage between houses, an alley, lane (Sc. 1825 Jam.; I.Sc., ne. and em. Sc. (a), wm.Sc., Kcb. 1973).Edb. 1726 Edb. Ev. Courant (28 Feb.):
The two Houses above the Shops in the Trance which leads to the Turnpike.Sc. 1749 Caled. Mercury (23 Jan.):
The Entry to the Transe consists of five Steps only.Rnf. 1791 A. Wilson Poems 216:
Three yeer thro' closs an' trance, An' doors I've been decoy't.Sc. 1883 Chambers's Jnl. (April) 210:
Steep lanes or trances, crowded with mean dwellings.Ags. 1891 Barrie Little Minister xxxviii.:
Hendry Munn lived in Coutt's trance.Lth. 1928 S. A. Robertson With Double Tongue 28:
But nae lad dirls the window-panes, Or slips up through the trance.
(2) A passage within a house or other building, freq. a passage connecting the two main rooms of a cottage, a lobby, corridor (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 169, 1808 Jam.; n.Sc., Ags., Lnk. 1973).Sc. 1729 R. Wodrow Analecta (M.C.) IV. 89:
The apparition went doun some steps with the candles, and caryed them in to a long trance, at the end of which ther was a stair.Bnff. 1747 W. Cramond Cullen Ho. (1887) 13:
In the long room and in many other rooms at the end of a trance that goes from the said long room.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost vii.:
One of the mahogany chairs in the trance.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Let. xi.:
He led the way out through halls and trances that were weel kend to my gudesire.Dmf. 1866 R. Simpson Cottars of Glen 56:
The long passage, or trance, as it was called, that led between the kitchen and the spence.Cai. 1872 M. MacLennan Peasant Life 296:
When she looked again, the daughter was gone from the trance.ne.Sc. 1874 W. Gregor Olden Time 18:
Leaving the kitchen, and opening the door observed on entering, you found yourself in a long passage, or trance, and at the end of it was the room, or but ein.Kcb. 1896 Crockett Grey Man v.:
We laid down the chest in a little trance at the back of the kitchen.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (15 May):
Da first 'at I saw comin' butt troo da trance wis Girzzie.Lth. 1905 J. Lumsden Croonings 122:
I've seen their House at Leonard's Well, Butt, ben, and trance.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vii.:
'E lang steen trances an' twistin' steen stairs o' the Castel.
‡(3) An aisle in a church (Bnff., Abd., Per., Lnk. 1973).Sc. 1702 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1908) 347:
The head of the trans or entry from the south door.Edb. 1710 D. Robertson S. Leith Rec. (1925) 20:
The back trances opposite to the pulpit.Ags. 1802 Session Rec. Arbirlot MS. 253:
Laying the Trances in the Church.Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 309:
As you walked up the transe o' the kirk.m.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 69:
Stan'in up in the transe afore a' the folk.
(4) Combs.: (i) trance carpeting, carpeting suitable for a corridor or lobby; (ii) trance chamber, a room at the end of a passage; (iii) trance cloth, = (i); (iv) trance door, the door of a passage, freq. an inner door leading from the outside door to the kitchen of a cottage (ne.Sc., Ags., wm.Sc. 1973); (v) trance road, an indoor passage, lobby; (vi) trance window, a passage window (Ags. 1973).(i) Edb. 1800 Edb. Weekly Jnl. (28 May) 169:
Trance Carpetings, and Hearth Ruggs.(ii) Ork. 1710 P. Ork. A.S. XII. 56:
There is in the Trans Chamber.(iii) Sc. 1747 Caled. Mercury (27 July):
Carpets Scots and English, with Transe cloths, &c.Sc. 1782 Caled. Mercury (2 March):
Inverary Carpets . . . 3/4, 5/8, and 1/2 yard Transecloths.(iv) Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 144:
The cattle . . . entered by the same door with the family; the one turning to the one hand, by the trans-door to the kitchen, and through it to the spence, and the other turning the contrary way by the heck-door to the byre.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 190:
She tells me to steek the trance door.em.Sc. 1909 J. Black Melodies 136:
We may be thankfu' the plague didna come ben the trance door.(v) Ags. 1769 Caled. Mercury (20 March):
He keeps basses for entries, doors, and trance-roads.(vi) Bnff. 1880 J. F. Gordon Chrons. Keith 66:
Several juveniles attempted to escape by the ‘Trance window' on to the roof of the Weigh House.
2. In fig. usages:Sc. 1706 J. Webster Sermon High Ch. Edb. 12:
The dark trance and avenue of Death.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 219:
Narrowin' the ether's bricht expanse Into a black-hung uglie trance.
II. v. In ppl.adj. transing, of a wall: passing across a building from side to side, transverse.Edb. 1703 Burgh Rec. Edb. (1967) 58:
To carrie the same straight from the transing wall which divides the old and new Greyfriars.Sc. c.1730 Spottiswoode MS. (Jam.):
All middle or transing walls, wherein there are no chimneys, shall be at least ten inches thick.
